Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1887-03-03
DEATH oFGEN. GEDDEs.
sketch Of The LIE and Services OF the
Distinguished Dead.

The death ofGen. ]. L. Geddes oc-
cured at Ames. Feb. 81. James l.. Geddes,
of the 9Th Iowa hfantry, was Scotchman,
and was born in hecity of Edinburg, on the
10th dav of Marc, 1897. When ten years of
age, he emigratd with his familyto Can
ada; but, at the yge of eighteen, returned to
Scotland. and in the following winter,
embarked forthe East Indies where he
entered the British Military Academy at
Calcutta. after studying at that institu
ton for atout two years, he enlisted in
the Births service, and was a member Of
the Royl Horse Artillery. He was con-
nected with the British service seven
years. md, during this time, served under
Sir ugh Cough, Sir Charles Napier and
Sir tolin Campbell. Under Cough, he
tool part in the celebrated Punjaub
catpaign, and with Napier fought in the
bttle of Kyber Pass. He was also en-
aged under Sir Colin Campbell in the
ampaign against the Hill Tribes of the
Himalays. For his services in India, he
was awarded medal and clasp. After
leaving the British service, he returned
to Canada where, being commissioned by
Queen Victoria colonel of calvary, he
calvery regiment; but, as he
himself expressed it, he soon became dis
gusted, and resigned his commission
He came to Iowa in the fall of 1857, and
purchased farm in Benton county, on
which he has since lived.
In August, 1861, Colonel Geddes enlist
ed company in Benton county, for the
9Th Iowa Infantry. and was commissioned
its captain; but on the organization of
his regiment, he was promoted to the
lieutenant colonelcy, and, with that rank,
he entered the field lie was promoted
to the colonelcy of the 9Th Iowa, on the
18th of February, 1862, vice Colonel Steele,
who had been appointed , brigadier gen.
eralr
The first compaign on which the 9Th
Iowa Infantry marched was that of Gen.
eral Fremont, from Jefferson City to
Springfield. The regiments first battle
was Shiloh. The part it took in this en-
gagement is the first point of interest in
its history. 1t was attached to the division
of General G. Il. Smith, which, in the
absence of that General, was commanded
by Wallace. The camp OF the regiment
was. therefore, in the rear of the line first
assailed by the enemy.
Early in the morning of the 9th of
April, and soon after the enemy opened
fire on the divisions OF Prentiss and
Sherman, Col Geddes ordered his regi-
ment under arms and formed in line of
battle in front of its camp. In the
meantime, the firing at tie front was in
creasing rapidly, and the colonel, con-
WINGED that the enemy were advancing in
force. ordered the baggage to be loaded
on the wagons and driven back in the
direction of the Landing. This done, his
regiment was ordered to the front. The
other regiments of the brigade, which was
commanded by Col. Sweeney, of the SGD
Illinois. were, on the arrival of the 9Th
Iowa, already in position. Forming his
regiment on the left of his brigade, Col.
Geddes remained in this position for
about an hour, in support of battery in
his front, and during this time suffered
from CALLING fire of the enemy's artil-
lery.
A correspondent of the Register, writ
ing of Gen. Geddes, and his connection
with the State Agricultural College, says:
But what were all this tribute worth, if
we should overlook Gen Geddes as a
man, as a citizen, as one of the original
band of men who planted and developed
the great State College. For Is years he
was vitality connected with the organiza.
ton and management of the college, for
10 OF those years vice president and pro-
fessor of military tactics, latterly limiting
his labors to the Office of treasurer and
land agent for the college. Gen. Geddes
was favorite among the students, and a
man most highly respected and beloved
by members of the faculty. The univer.
sal grief that pervades our streets at the
news of his death after so brief term oil
illess is much like that of some great be-
reavement coming to every one of oul
homes We were so accustomed to see
his straight and arrowy form, his elastic
military step on our streets and to re.
ceive his uniformally kind and dignified
salutation, that, notwithstanding the
gray hairs and the full age of go years,
we had no thought of seeing him strick.
en- down so soon. He belonged to all
homes, to our college, to our State, to
our nation. His honors await the just
awards of his fellow comrades and the
unbiased judgment of posterity. In mil
itary circles he rose from captain to
lieutenant colonel, to colonel, to briga.
dier general, 'for gallant and meritorious
service" Now, his promotion is to that
land where the serene air has no battle
stain and where the years forever roll
on in peace.